GAS PRICES GO DOWN IN TIME FOR HOLIDAY

South Florida drivers will hit the highways this Fourth of July weekend with gas prices down slightly from last month.

"The Fourth of July holiday is one of the busiest travel periods of the year," said Yoli Buss, director of traffic safety for AAA Auto Club South. "The fact that we have seen a slight decline in prices is good news for holiday travelers."

The auto club estimated 37.4 million Americans will travel 100 miles or more from their home for this holiday.

The only busier holiday weekend is Christmas, the club said. About 8 million of the travelers will come from Florida and other southeastern states.

The club said that in the past month, the price of regular self-service gasoline fell 1 cent to an average $1.13 per gallon.

A year ago, the statewide average was $1.07 a gallon.

In a survey taken in late June, the club found these averages prices for regular unleaded gasoline in South Florida and Treasure Coast towns: Delray Beach, $1.20; Fort Lauderdale, $1.15; Fort Pierce, $1.12; Miami, $1.17; Pompano Beach, $1.16; and Stuart, $1.10.

The Florida Highway Patrol on Thursday said state troopers will concentrate on violations that cause the most travel deaths, drunken driving and seat-belt violations.

Highway Patrol Director Col. Charles C. Hall said that during the 96-hour holiday period, starting at 12:01 today, troopers will be setting up DUI checkpoints and selective enforcement patrols -- dubbed "wolf packs" -- to make the roads safer.

The Highway Patrol said in a release, 19 people died in accidents around the state during the Fourth of July weekend last year. Seven people killed had safety belts in their vehicles but were not using them. One-third of the fatal crashes, it said, were alcohol-related.